EARLY X’MAS. Gov. Pineda plays a most generous Santa at Macapagal Village with Mayor Morales assisting. Aeta boy waits in Nabuclod for his turn at the bagful of goodies from the governor, holding on to a Christmas card of sorts.
PHOTOS BY BONG LACSON
DECEMBER 7. Bento is stirred from deep sleep by his mother at 4 a.m. Two pieces of sweet potatoes cooked on
the embers from the bonfire of the past night served as his hearty breakfast followed by a quick gulf from an over-reused mineral water bottle. Still pitch-dark, Bento treads along with his mother and other members of the
tribe walking for some 10 kilometers uphill to the elementary school in Nabuclod, Floridablanca.
The excited procession getting larger, noisier as it nears the site. Meanwhile, at the open basketball court of Macapagal Village, just outside Clark’s walls, loud cheers jolted the sleepy elder Dong-Wan slumped on the cement bench near the stage.
Gov. Lilia G. Pineda has arrived. Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales too. Hundreds of sacks filled with thousands of
bags of goodies are stacked on the court. A refrigerator truck of Mekeni Food Corp. disgorges packed hotdogs in red plastic baskets.
Dong-Wan, aided by grandson Tom-tom, joins the long lines that quickly formed, and immediately served with Jollibee hamburgers and bottled water. At 6:30 a.m. the program begins with a prayer of thanksgiving. Mayor Morales mouths what has become a mantra hereabouts of Nanay Baby – “best governor ever” for her “compassion to the poor and the less privileged.”
The governor makes her call for unity and love among all Kapampangans not only on Christmastime but every
day of the year. And the giving starts, the governor personally greeting each one of the hundreds of kulot and unat, assured of a food-laden table that day, and with transportation money she gave them saved by walking
back home.
Meeting the governor’s convoy leaving Macapagal Village brought anguish to latercomers from Calumpang, immediately eased by the returning folk they met that there was still some Nanay left for them where they came from. At the “Tent City” in Planas, Porac, the sun starts to bear on the thousands of Aetas assembled there since the break of day.
The long wait finally ended with wild applause signalling the governor’s coming. “Pasensiya na pu keng pamanenaya yu. Menibat ku pa pu karing aliwang kapatad tamung katutubu king pamamiye tamung saya ngening Pasku.” The Nanay’s apology drowned by even louder cheers.
And the governor begins her gift-giving with Porac Mayor Condralito de la Cruz and Vice Mayor Dexter David assisting. Soon as he arrived in Nabuclod, Bento – along with all others – is served still-hot lugaw, as he made his way to the lengthening queues to the distribution area.
Christmas songs from a loudspeaker enliven the waiting, the crescendo of excitement reaching highest pitch with the black Ford Explorer finally coming to view past 11 a.m.
Again, the deafening cheers as the governor, flanked by Floridablanca Mayor Eddie Guerrero and parish priest, Fr. Jess Manabat, made her entrance. “Dacal tamu pu dapat ipagpasalamat. Linigtas naka tamu ning Guinu king kapahamakan. Midinan tamu pung kalam king pamibiye-biye tamu.
Panalangin tamu ing higit pang pamikakalugud at pamisasanmetung tamung Kapampangan.” Simple message of the governor, translating to the tangibles of the foodstuff and cash everyone is gifted with.
Billed as Aeta Day, as part of the 442nd Aldo ning Kapampangan celebrations, December 7 may well be marked the day Santa came to the tribes.
As the elder Dong- Wan put it: “Epa man Pasku, dinatang ne y Santa keni kekami. Aliwa itang matabang balbasan a lalaki, nune y Santa Lilia, indu ning lalawigan. Masayang, masaya kami.”
